Naman Tekriwal

𝗔𝗿𝘆𝗮.𝗮𝗴'𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 ₹𝟳𝟮𝟱 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱! • Arya.ag raised ₹725 crore in a Series D funding round led by GEF Capital Partners, along with Lightrock, Quona Capital, and an innovation department–associated fund from Japan. • This funding round is a mix of primary and secondary transactions, where early VCs and angel investors received partial exits through the Series D round. • In FY25, Arya.ag reported ₹447 crore in revenue from operations with a net profit of ₹34 crore, and in H1 FY26, it reported ₹300 crore in revenue with a net profit of ₹31.5 crore. • Arya.ag operates as a “Grain Bank,” where farmers store their produce in local warehouses to avoid selling at low prices. Farmers also receive loans from Arya.ag’s NBFC arm, and when prices increase, they sell their produce on the platform. • The funds will be used to expand the existing Grain Bank infrastructure, strengthen the lending business, invest in technology and climate-smart solutions, and facilitate secondary sales. 𝗧𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗱... Entrackr The Economic Times Inc42 Media Indian Startup News DeHaat AgroStar WayCool Foods Jai Vardhan #AryaAg #Agritech #VentureCapital #NBFC #SeriesDFunding #GrainBank #DeHaat

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India’s investment potential is turning into tangible performance. With $43 billion in private equity and venture capital (PE-VC) investments and a 20% share of Asia-Pacific’s total capital, India has firmly established itself as the second-largest investment destination in the region. This marks a decisive shift in global capital allocation towards a market demonstrating resilience, governance maturity, and deep investment opportunity. What’s equally encouraging is the sharp rise in VC and growth-stage activity, driven by over 1,200 deals and a 2x increase in consumer tech funding. Today, it’s the fundamentals that are winning—strong governance, sustainable profitability, and a long-term view. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dzqm5z5g #IndiaInvests #VC #PrivateEquity #Startups #DeepTech #IndiaGrowth

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You can’t photo-op your way into policy reform. Execution still matters. Last year, when Bangladesh went through a regime change, I was one of the many who felt hopeful. Not from a political lens — but as someone who works in tech startups, VC and sees first-hand how much global perception, policy, and partnerships matter for a country’s growth story. We thought there’d be real diplomatic progress. Better labour mobility deals with the GCC. Support for Bangladeshi tech talent abroad. Investor confidence going up. But fast forward 12 months, and here’s what we actually got: Instagrammable diplomacy. A few days ago, I met a Bangladeshi founder in Dubai. He’s building a payments company that just closed a deal with a UAE-based fintech. Super sharp, great execution. But now he can’t onboard officially — because his visa transfer is stuck. No one in the system can give a timeline. No embassy support. No dedicated desk. He’s on hold, while someone else might take his role. Then today, five minutes before writing this, I got a call from another Bangladeshi working in Abu Dhabi. He just got promoted at a logistics firm but was told he can’t move to the new entity due to “bilateral processing delays.” His HR team has given up. He’s left hanging. This is not a one-off story. It’s a weekly pattern. And yet, if you look at LinkedIn, you’ll think everything’s booming. Every other week, our diplomatic representatives — like Lutfey Siddiqi — are posting conference selfies, panel summaries, and lofty statements about “reinventing global south diplomacy.” He’s been to more countries in 6 months than most Bangladeshis will see in a lifetime. And the photos? Perfect lighting. Perfect captions. Perfectly disconnected from reality. DIFC doesn’t need another advisor smiling in front of a fintech banner. DIFC needs someone who can actually negotiate visa reciprocity, fast-track digital company registration, or unblock cross-border hiring pathways. That’s what changes lives. That’s what real representation looks like. I get it — visibility matters. Optics are part of diplomacy. But execution is the point. You don’t get to claim progress if the people you represent can’t access the basic systems they need to grow, work, and contribute. This isn’t just a Bangladesh problem. Many emerging markets suffer from this: the rise of the LinkedIn Diplomat. Travel the world, shake 100 hands, write AI-generated posts, and call it transformation. But back home? Startups are still stuck. Workers are still blocked. Builders are still ignored. And here’s the truth — in places like DIFC, no one cares about your title or your entourage. Everyone is too busy building. If you want respect, deliver outcomes. If you want influence, solve real problems. Less photos. More execution.

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Singapore needs to back unproven, young talent. Hear me out. Singapore has world class universities, capital, and stability yet deep-tech venture creation lags. The gap isn’t science or infrastructure but who we choose to back. Singapore optimises for pedigree, KPIs, and proof-of-work. That works for consulting and banking, but breaks in deep tech. Innovation is a non-obvious process. Obsession matters more than degrees. Slope matters more than the y-intercept. Mach Industries, founded by a 19 year-old MIT dropout, raised US$85M in its first round. That is more than the combined capital raised by 400+ startups and 160+ spin offs from Singapore’s National GRIP program. Though we started Anomaly Bio in Singapore, Samyak and I raised our US$2.6M pre-seed round from investors in the Valley. Nobody in Asia would have backed 22-year old biotech founders with no degree. We have the talent. What we lack are visible young role models and systems that give them permission to start early. A fellowship is the answer.

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Is Raising Multiple Rounds of VC Money Always Right? What if startups focused on self-sustainability rather than raising large VC rounds? Pukar Hamal, founder of SecurityPal, challenges the traditional fundraising narrative, encouraging entrepreneurs to explore viable options, including bootstrapping. At ElevenX Capital, we believe in empowering founders to assess their needs critically and develop sustainable growth strategies. How do you balance the allure of capital with the pursuit of independence in your startup journey? #investing #innovation #venturecapital #entrepreneurship

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🌟Equity Funding in Asia Is Climbing — and AI Is the Driving Force A 10% rise in tech fundraising across Asia in 2025 — from $70B to $77B — with AI at the center of the surge. Markets like India, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia are emerging as hotspots for deal-making, fueled by: - Growing AI adoption across industries - Global capital chasing scalable, tech-enabled opportunities - Strengthening cross-border investor interest Why this matters for founders: In an investor landscape that’s become more selective, AI isn’t just hype — it’s becoming a qualifier. Whether you’re building an AI-first product or integrating AI into a traditional business model, showing practical, scalable AI use cases can put you ahead in investor conversations. Positioning tips to attract funding: * Showcase clear ROI from AI implementation * Demonstrate scalable infrastructure that supports AI growth * Align your pitch with regional market strengths and global AI trends * Build partnerships that accelerate AI adoption in your sector The takeaway: In 2025, AI is not just a technology trend — it’s an investment magnet. If you can blend innovation + scalability, you’ll have a stronger hand in the fundraising game. #Fundraising #AsiaMarkets #AI #VentureCapital #PrivateEquity #InvestorRelations #BusinessGrowth #TechTrends

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Funding Overview ;- Series B funding: ₹87 crore (~$10.4 million), led by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India, with continued support from Peak XV Partners’ Surge program and 3one4 Capital. Prior rounds: - Seed/Angel — ~$3 million (2023), led by Surge along with notable individual angels. - Series A — $5 million in September 2024, led by 3one4 Capital with Peak XV Surge and angels involved. Total raised to date: Approximately $18 million. Company Snapshot & Metrics - Founded in 2023 by Ritwik Khare and Karan Miglani, Elivaas operates a tech-enabled platform for managing and renting luxury vacation properties. - Present across 30 destinations in India, with a reported 5× year-on-year revenue growth in FY 24–25. - Estimate: 505 properties currently under management; aiming for 1,000 by FY 26. - FY24 booking value was Rs 8 crore; FY25 saw a 5× growth from this base. Funding Strategy & Use of Funds 1. Strategic lead investor: Vertex Ventures’ involvement brings credibility and signal to both domestic and international markets. 2. Clear allocation of capital: - Deepen Indian market penetration. - Build foundational infrastructure for international expansion (focus on markets within ~5-hour flight radius such as UAE, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia). - Invest in technology for operational efficiency, customer experience, and brand marketing. 3. Leveraging pent-up post-COVID travel demand: - Capitalizing on a segment where second-home rentals grew rapidly—supply and demand up ~10× compared to traditional hotels. - India’s luxury villa/apartment market is currently valued at ~$4 billion, projected to rise to $20 billion by 2035. - Moneycontrol 4. Targeting both leisure and corporate clients: - Corporate bookings account for ~25–30%, leisure ~70%. - Expanding into apartments for stays over 4–5 days.

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